THE EFFECT OF SYNTHESIZED ACID RAIN ON STEEL SCREWS AND IRON FILINGS. Abe Cass and Robert Lilly. The purpose of this experiment was to determine how synthesized acid rain solutions of differing pH levels affect the mass of samples of both steel and iron by submerging sample of both in acidic solutions for several days. It was predicted that because of the logarithmic nature of the pH scale, any mass decrease due to acidic corrosion on a sample would increase tenfold at the next lowest pH. Several steel samples did not lose any mass and those that did lost very small percentages of their initial mass, a result which raises the question of whether or not a corrosion-inhibiting coating covers the steel samples used. By contrast, all samples of iron filings gained small amounts of mass, which may be attributed to incomplete evaporation of solution from the sample. In both the steel and iron samples there was no apparent trend based on pH level, and both the steel and iron sample in the control solution had a change in mass. Subsequent trials should aim to determine if this phenomena is merely an error in the data or if water itself causes a change in mass in steel and iron.
Ritchison, Gary. “Hydrogen Ion Concentration as pH made at the Field Laboratories, 1999.” Eastern Kentucky University. http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/RITCHISO//phfield.gif
Rudolph, Dr. Neil. “Importance of Water.” Adams State College. faculty.adams.edu/~rnrudolp/sci155/chapter10.ppt
Tsitouridou, Anatolaki. “Relationship between acidity and ionic composition of wet precipitation a two years study at an urban site.” Lab of analytical chemistry, chemical engineering Department, Aristotle University.
Keywords: acid rain; pH; corrosion; percent mass change; molarity; dilution
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Works Consulted:
Ariya, P. A. “Median concentrations of ions (meq l-1) in precipitation at two typical sites in the United States.” Atmospheric Chemistry, McGill University. www.meteo.mcgill.ca/195-219/**acidrain**/**ACID**%20**RAIN**.doc
Elert, Glenn et. al. “The Physics Factbook.” http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2004/KarenSutherland.shtml
Kuznetsov, Yu. I. “Adsorptive passivation of iron by organic acid anions.” Russian Journal of Electrochemistry. March 2005. http://www.springerlink.com/content/t42q66146175u0u8/
Ritchison, Gary. “Hydrogen Ion Concentration as pH made at the Field Laboratories, 1999.” Eastern Kentucky University. http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/RITCHISO//phfield.gifRudolph, Dr. Neil. “Importance of Water.” Adams State College. faculty.adams.edu/~rnrudolp/sci155/chapter10.ppt
Tsitouridou, Anatolaki. “Relationship between acidity and ionic composition of wet precipitation a two years study at an urban site.” Lab of analytical chemistry, chemical engineering Department, Aristotle University.
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